Andrew Stanton
Encyclopedia
Andrew Stanton is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional voice actor based at Pixar Animation Studios
. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo
and WALL-E
; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
.
. He studied character animation at The California Institute of the Arts and graduated from the school in 1983. His earliest known venture into professional animation was at Ralph Bakshi Productions, where he worked on "Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures" along with other young animators like Jeff Pidgeon, Eddie Fitzgerald, Tom Minton, John Kricfalusi, and Jim Reardon; all of them have done worthwhile things, even Pidgeon who joined him at Pixar. Stanton joined Pixar in January 1990 and was the second animator (John Lasseter being the first) and ninth overall employee hired at the studio. He now lives in Mill Valley, California and is married to Julie Stanton. He has a daughter named Audrey and a son named Ben. In addition to his direction and writing work for Pixar, he voiced Crush, the laidback turtle in Finding Nemo
.
According to pg. 17 of the book 'Outlaw Animation: Cutting-Edge Cartoons from the Spike and Mike Festivals' by Jerry Beck, Stanton was also friends with famed animation promoters "Spike and Mike". In one particular instance Spike visited Stanton's home in a super hero costume calling himself "the Centaur". After frightening the neighborhood parents and captivating the imaginations of the children near an ice cream truck Stanton had to get Spike back inside before anyone alerted the authorities.
In an interview with World Magazine
s Megan Basham, Stanton explained his singular vision for WALL-E
: "What really interested me was the idea of the most human thing in the universe being a machine because it has more interest in finding out what the point of living is than actual people. The greatest commandment Christ
gives us is to love, but that's not always our priority. So I came up with this premise that could demonstrate what I was trying to say—that irrational love defeats the world's programming. You've got these two robots that are trying to go above their basest directives, literally their programming, to experience love."
Stanton has started working on his next film, John Carter, set for release early 2012 by Disney
.
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
and WALL-E
WALL-E
WALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
.
Life and career
Stanton was born and raised in Rockport, MassachusettsRockport, Massachusetts
Rockport is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,952 at the 2010 census. Rockport is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula...
. He studied character animation at The California Institute of the Arts and graduated from the school in 1983. His earliest known venture into professional animation was at Ralph Bakshi Productions, where he worked on "Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures" along with other young animators like Jeff Pidgeon, Eddie Fitzgerald, Tom Minton, John Kricfalusi, and Jim Reardon; all of them have done worthwhile things, even Pidgeon who joined him at Pixar. Stanton joined Pixar in January 1990 and was the second animator (John Lasseter being the first) and ninth overall employee hired at the studio. He now lives in Mill Valley, California and is married to Julie Stanton. He has a daughter named Audrey and a son named Ben. In addition to his direction and writing work for Pixar, he voiced Crush, the laidback turtle in Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
.
According to pg. 17 of the book 'Outlaw Animation: Cutting-Edge Cartoons from the Spike and Mike Festivals' by Jerry Beck, Stanton was also friends with famed animation promoters "Spike and Mike". In one particular instance Spike visited Stanton's home in a super hero costume calling himself "the Centaur". After frightening the neighborhood parents and captivating the imaginations of the children near an ice cream truck Stanton had to get Spike back inside before anyone alerted the authorities.
In an interview with World Magazine
World magazine
World Magazines are magazines about specific foreign countries that help people of different countries, languages, and cultures to understand that country...
s Megan Basham, Stanton explained his singular vision for WALL-E
WALL-E
WALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
: "What really interested me was the idea of the most human thing in the universe being a machine because it has more interest in finding out what the point of living is than actual people. The greatest commandment Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
gives us is to love, but that's not always our priority. So I came up with this premise that could demonstrate what I was trying to say—that irrational love defeats the world's programming. You've got these two robots that are trying to go above their basest directives, literally their programming, to experience love."
Stanton has started working on his next film, John Carter, set for release early 2012 by Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
.
Filmography
- Toy StoryToy StoryToy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
(1995) (Story, Screenplay, Additional Voice) - A Bug's LifeA Bug's LifeA Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
(1998) (Co-Director, Story, Screenplay, Cameo Voice of a Fly Near a "Bug Zapper") - Toy Story 2Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
(1999) (Story, Screenplay, Voice of Emperor Zurg) - Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
(2001) (Exec. Producer with John LasseterJohn LasseterJohn Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, Screenplay) - Finding NemoFinding NemoFinding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(2003) (Director, Story, Screenplay, Voice of Crush, New England Lobster, and Numerous Other Characters) - The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
(2004) (Additional Voices) - CarsCars (film)Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
(2006) (Voice of Fred) - RatatouilleRatatouille (film)Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
(2007) (Executive Producer with John Lasseter) - WALL-EWALL-EWALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
(2008) (Director, Writer, Voice of Human Character) - Partly CloudyPartly CloudyPartly Cloudy is a Pixar CGI animated short film directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Kevin Reher. It was shown in theaters before Pixar's feature film Up and is a special feature on its DVD and Blu-ray release. It was included in the Animation Show of Shows in 2009. In a , Sohn says his idea for...
(2009) (Executive Producer with John Lasseter) - UpUp (2009 film)Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
(2009) (Executive Producer with John Lasseter) - Toy Story 3Toy Story 3Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
(2010) (Story) - John Carter (2012) (Writer, Director)
External links
- A Day in the Life of Andrew Stanton - The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...